Roll-top desk



(No Model.)

A. LOPSTROM.

ROLL TOP DESK. No. 552,846. Patented JE ET, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

ANDERS LOFSTROM, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROLL-TOP DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,846, dated January '7, 1896.

Application filed se t t 14, 1895. Serial No. 562,506. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LANDERS LOFSTROBLEL citizen of the United States, and a resident of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Roll-Top Desks, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in roll-top desks; and it consists in mechanism for readily raising and lowering the roll of the desk, as will hereinafter be more fully shown and described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a roll-top desk provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view showing the top of the desk as removed. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section on the line 3 3, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 5 and Fig. 4 represents a similar crosssection on the line 4 at, shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar letters refer to similar parts when ever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

In the drawings, A A represent the uprights or base portions of aroll-top desk having table-top B and grooved sides 0 O for the flexible roll D, as usual. Below the table 13 is arranged a slide E, which is movable in suitable guides below said table, as shown. To the said slide E is attached a cross-bar F, the ends of which are pivoted at ff to links G G, the rear ends of which are pivoted at g g to levers H H, the upper ends of which are pivoted or loosely connected to the roll D at h 71., as shown. Each lever H is guided in its lower end preferably upon a stud or pin I secured to the base portion A, said pin I projecting loosely through a slot h in the lever II, as shown in Fig. 3.

To open. the roll-top it is only necessary to push the slide E backward, causing the links Gr Gr to swing the levers H H backward, by which the roll D is raised and the desk opened without the need of taking hold of said roll and manipulating it directly by hand.

To close the roll it is only necessary to pull the slide E forward to the position shown in Fig. 4.

In roll-top desks of the ordinary construction there is usually a deep leg-space between the base portions A A, and in practice I prefer to utilize the rear portion of such space for the location of a receptacle for books, papers and the like. For this purpose I locate in the rear portion of such space a box or receptacle L, which is hinged or pivoted in its forward lower end at Z to the base portions, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and at. Said receptacle is open at top, as shown in Fig. 4:, and may be swung forward, more or less, against a stop M, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

In practice I prefer to hold the box L locked when not in use, as shown in Fig. 4, and for this purpose I have shown in said figure a hooked lever or latch N, pivoted at nto the base portion A and adapted to be hooked onto a pin or projection Z attached to the upper portion of the hinged box L, as shown.

The hook or latch N may be disengaged from the box L during the backward motion of the slide E, the rear end of which comes in contact with the upper end of said hook-lever or latch and causes it to be tripped sufficiently to be disengaged from the pin Z, after which the box L may be swung forward more or less to place articles in it or remove such therefrom, as may be desired from time to time.

Ilavin g thus fully described the nature, construction, and operation of my invention, I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim- 1. In a desk, the combination with a table, and a flexible roll top, of slotted levers pivoted at one end to said flexible roll top, studs secured to the sides of the frame and engaging the slots of the levers, a slide beneath the table, a cross-bar carried by said slide, and links pivoted to said cross-bar and to said levers, substantially as described.

2. In a desk, the combination with a flexible roll top, of levers pivoted at one end thereto and provided at the other end with slots, studs projecting from the sides of the frame and engaging said slots, a box pivotally arranged below the table of the desk, a pivoted locking device for said box, and a slide pivotally connected with the levers and adapted to engage the pivoted locking device to release thebox, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 6th day of September, A. D. 1895.

ANDERS LOFSTROM.

Witnesses:

ALBA Anbnnn, Luor B. BnswnLL. 

